Sheffield Wednesday: How Ash Baker has jumped ahead of Liam Palmer in battle for Owls place

He was the 2017 signing who had to wait nearly 18 months for his chance.

Since then, it's taken Ash Baker two games to press his claim for a Sheffield Wednesday starting role.

Playing against Hull City

Now 21, the right-sided defender impressed in a wide midfield role in the Owls' second game of the Championship season, a 1-1 home draw with Hull City last Saturday.

His display came after an encouraging debut on the final day of last season on May 6 when Wednesday finished with a 5-1 flourish against Norwich City.

He's not the biggest but covers plenty of ground with his scampering style. And the boy can cross a ball.

Several times in the opening stages of the Hull clash he made ground down the right before producing the kind of measured delivery a centre-forward who is good in the air can make the most of.

Wednesday took the Bridgend-born from Cardiff City in January 2017. In April this year they decided he was worth keeping until the summer of 2020.

Manager Jos Luhukay went with Liam Palmer on the right for the opening-day trip to Wigan Athletic last week. Palmer paid the price for the 3-2 defeat at the DW Stadium and Baker was trusted against the Tigers at Hillsborough.

He was less conspicuous in the second half against Nigel Adkins' men and was caught defensively out of position a couple of times, but by then he proved worthy of his inclusion.

The £1.6 million pre-season sale of Jack Hunt to Bristol City has created a vacancy on the Owls right. Baker or Palmer? At the moment, Baker.